ela, so i think and i've never it's a lie. meredith: ha ha! well, it works, no matter what. >> sorry, mom. meredith: it works, no matter what. a senior analyst from washington, d.c. brought along your friend kim in the audience. nice to see you, kim, as well. all right, jangela. however you got the name, you wear it very well. let's see the money in your round one. and there's all that money. now, computer, please randomize the money. and that's all hidden. here are the categories to your questions, and, computer, please randomize the questions. and now let's see where your double money is. ooh, it's the fourth question up. very close. that could be worth as much as $50,000 if there's 25,000 behind it. now that everything is all shuffled, are you ready, jangela? >> it's so surreal. yes, i'm ready. meredith: it is surreal. folks, are you ready? [cheers and applause]

then let's play "millionaire." [fanfare plays] all right, first question. "heteropaternal superfecundation" is the technical term to describe twins who have what? same eye color, different fathers, mirror image traits, different genders.o say diff >> hmm. i want to say different fathers. i'm gonna go with b-- different fathers, final answer. meredith: that is it. different fathers it is. and let's start building your bank. how much money is behind this question? you start with a hundred dollars. you start at the very beginning. that's a good place to start, 13 questions away from a million. >> whew! ha ha! meredith: "new traditions" is the category. a "morp" is thrown by some as an "anti" response to what high school tradition? graduation, prom,

game, high school elections. a morp. >> i'm gonna go with b--prom, final answer. meredith: yes, it is prom. [indistinct] of morp. you got a hundred dollars. let's add a little bit more to that bank. how about $5,000? $5,100, 2 questions away from your "double money" question. this next category, "animal crowds." according to new research, emperor penguins stay warm by huddling together and replicating what common crowd activity? >> oh, my gosh. meredith: stomping feet, hand clapping, crowd surfing, the wave. >> i've been talking about "march of the penguins" all day. meredith: why? >> i have no idea. 'cause i think the worst thing to come back into the world as is an emperor penguin. ha ha! meredith: really? >> yeah. meredith: i didn't know that. >> antarctica's really cold. meredith: oh, 'cause it's cold. yeah, ok. >> ha ha! um...

i'm going to have to jump this question. i'm just--i'm caught between 2 answers. meredith: ok, question is out of play. you don't have to answer it. the correct answer-- the wave... >> yeah. meredith: is the right--was that one of the ones you were-- >> i was leaning towards stomping feet, and i just figured that was way too obvious, based on my memory of the film. meredith: ok, so it's a good thing that you've jumped over this, but there is a price to be paid. how much money did you forfeit? hopefully not too much. $10,000 behind that question. >> ha ha! i'm still playing. meredith: yes, you are. you are still playing. by jumping the question, you're now 11 away from the million dollars and you are at "double money" at this point. the brand oxo was created after founder sam farber saw his wife, betsey, having difficulty gripping what? cosmetic brushes, office supplies, kitchen tools, golf

clubs. you get it right, you double the money behind the question. >> heh heh! just watched a documentswer is c--kitchen t answer is c--kitchen tools. ha ha! meredith: you're gonna double your money. it is kitchen tools. let's see how much money is behind this question. whatever it is, you get twice that amount.00--$6,000. $11,100. very nice. and on that note, we're gonna take a break. we'll be right back with more "millionaire" right after this. >> whoo! [ male announcer ] it's simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function

so moving is easier. celebrex can be taken with or without food. and it's not a narcotic. you and your doctor should balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. and find an arthritis treatment for you.

meredith: we are back with jangela shumskas from washington, d.c., senior analyst. doing a great job. you have $11,100 so far. last question was the "double money"

question. came in at $3,000. we doubled that to $6,000, which is very nice. got your money up very quickly, for sure. how are you feeling? >> um, nervous, i hate to say. meredith: yeah? >> i keep trying to remember my head is attached to a neck that can move. meredith: ha ha! exactly. we get a lot of people who are bobbleheads, the other way, too. >> this is true, and i think they are, like, don't bounce up and down, and i think i might be doing that a little. meredith: if you do it, this is your set right now. it belongs to you, so-- >> thank you. meredith: for sure. and i know you have a little love of your life, a young man. pretty young, actually, on the west coast. tell us about him. >> it's my nephew, kenji, and ie to take him to all of the disney worlds and disneylands everywhere--paris, tokyo, florida. meredith: oh, and he's 6 years old, so that would be fantastic. what a nice aunt you are. well, let's keep going now. got $11,100, 10 away from a million, 6 away from round 2, at which point you keep all the

money in the bank and you still greau're doing great. ready to keep playing? as >> i am. let's play. meredith: let's play. [fanfare plays] [cheers and applause] what nfl team's founder, lamar hunt, credited his kids' toy, a super ball, as inspiration for his coining the term "super bowl"? denver broncos, dallas cowboys, kansas city chiefs, new york jets. >> i knew i was going to get a football question, and i don't know anything about football. meredith: hmm. well, you could jump it or ask the audience if you really have no idea. >> i know what the super bowl is. [laughter] ha ha! meredith: well, that's a start. >> that's a start. ha ha ha! but i think i'm gonna have to jump this question. meredith: ok, question is out of play. you don't have to answer it. let's see the rightsy chiefs. let's see what you

jumped over. [audience groans] >> it's ok. meredith: all right. deep breath. >> deep breath. ha ha! meredith: that's always disappointing, but the good news is, by taking that jump, you are one step closer to the million dollars, 9 questions away. still got some big money left on that board, too. "anthems 101" is your category. what is the only color mentioned in the first stanza of "the star-spangled banner"? blue, white, red, green. >> i'm singing the song in my head. the--and i won't sing it to you guys. sorry. ha ha ha! i'm gonna go with b--white, final meredith: it is not white. it's the rockets' red glare. oh, darn it, jangela.

>> it's ok. meredith: you have a thousand dollars. thank you so much. >> thank you so much! thank you. meredith: pleasure to meet you. we'll have you go out this way. that's all right. [cheers and applause] and joining me now, john kuczaj from chicago, illinois. [cheers and applause] >> hi, meredith. meredith: mm-wah. good to see you. now, how long have you wanted to be on the show? >> i've wanted to be on the show since the show came into syndication. meredith: really? >> yeah, i've been trying. meredith: well, you're here 10 years later. you made it! >> i'm so excited. i'm so excited. thank you. thank you very much. meredith: all right, john, account service rep from chicago. let's see the money in your round one. computer, please randomize the money. ok, we've hidden all of that. now here are the categories to your questions. and, computer, please randomize the questions. and now let's see where your double money is. oh, once again at

question number 4. >> ok. meredith: hmm. are you ready to play? >> i am ready to play. meredith: after 10 years, you better be. let's play "millionaire." [fanfare plays] ok, john, what unusual twosome co-wrote an opinion piece in "usa today" in 2011 about the need to eradicate dirty stoves in homes worldwide? angelina jolie and bob dole, sandra bullock and joe biden, julia roberts and hillary clinton, madonna and colin powell. >> oh, lord, all those twosomes are unusual indeed. [sighs] and i am blanking on what thispc possibly could be. meredith, i'm question. meredith: no problem. question out of play. let's see the correct answer. julia roberts and hillary clinton. >> ok. meredith: now let's see what you jumped over. all the money's on

the board. it could be any amount here. $1,000. not the worst-case scenario by any means. not bad. meredith: and by jumping over that money, you are one question closer to the million, now just 13 questions away."ancient tren "ancient trends" is the next category. finding 57 of them preserved on a 5,300-year-old mummy, scientists had to rethink the origins of what body decoration? tattoos, bracelets, piercings, necklaces. >> ha ha ha! tattoos. that makes sense if that's on a mummy. piercings would, too. my goodness. i'm not getting this one, either, meredith. i'm gonna have to jump this question. meredith: ok, we're gonna jump again. it's out of play. the right answer, please? the correct answer was tattoos. [audience groans] >> yeah. meredith: all right, kiddo. let's see what you jumped over. what did you forfeit here?

$3,000. all right, still not as bad as it could be. >> ok, all right. meredith: you've now jumped over $4,000, but you are, by jumping question closer to the million, 12 away at this point. let's start building your bank here. "party time" is the category. a recent social trend, "dadchelor parties," are events thrown for men who are about to what? graduate from college, buy a home, have a baby, retire from a job. "dadchelor parties." >> "dadchelor parties." well, if you go to a bachelor party, it would be for a man who's about to get married, so a dadchelor party logically would be for a man who's about to have a baby. i will guess "c" that's my final answer. meredith: it made total sense. you're right. it is have a baby. all right, we're gonna start building the bank. let's get a

big chunk of change in there. how much is behind this question? >> yes! [cheers and applause] not bad at all. meredith: $25,000. we're gonna be back with more "millionaire" right after this.

meredith: welcome back to "millionaire." it's "double your money" week, and that "double money" question is actually your next question, john kucjaz from chicago, illinois. your last question certainly paid off because there was $25,000 behind it. you were off to a slow start at first with the 2 jumps, but made up for it with the $25,000. now you're about to see the "double money" question. how are you feeling? >> i'm feeling good. i'm feeling good. meredith: you hesitated for a second there. >> i had to catch my breath, at least internally on that. meredith: ha ha! you caught it? >> i caught it. meredith: are you ready? >> i am ready.

meredith: then let's play. [fanfare plays] all right, this next question, as i said, your "double money" question. using an image from a classic children's book, barnes & noble offers a gift card that shows a girl and her pig looking at a what? ant, butterfly, spider, grasshopper. >> classic children's book. i haven't read a classic children's book in years. meredith, i'd like to ask the audience. meredith: all right. audience, john needs your help. on your keypads, vote now. >> heh heh heh! [laughter] meredith: 87% of this audience believes that it is spider. >> this audience has yet to

fail me. [laughter, cheers, and applause] meredith: there is always a first time. well, there is, there is. i'm just saying. >> wait a mi >> wait a minute. no, i'm gonna go with their answer. we're gonna go with c--spider, final answer. meredith: but they're rarely wrong. it is spider, the classic book, "charlotte's web." it is a spider. all right, this is "double money." if there's $15,000 behind there, that's $30,000 right there, but there could also be $100 behind there, so let's see. we don't k it is, about to find out how much money. oh! >> yes! oh, i don't know. meredith: ok. >> hey, it's $200 more than i came with. meredith: all right, $200. exactly right. we never know what the double is gonna be, but it is $200 more. $25,200. nice job, by the way, audience. 10 away from a million. "winning formulas" is the

category. "all i had to do was keep turning left," said george robson about his 1946 victory in what sporting event? boston marathon, indianapolis 500, pga championship, wimbledon. >> racecar drivers only turn left on ovals, like at indianapolis motor speedway, so the answer is b--indianapolis 500, final answer. meredith: absolutely, john. still got a lot of big money still up there. how much is behind this question? computer, please make it a big amount. $7,000. $32,200. very nice. >> excellent. meredith: 9 questions away from the million, 5 away from round 2. >> ok. meredith: and you see the big money up there, john. that's still available. "different strokes" is your category. due to his unusual painting technique, what artist earned the nickname "jack the dripper"? jackson pollock, salvador dali,

jasper johns, marcel duchamp. >> i believe it was jackson pollock. a--final answer. meredith: it is jackson pollock. [cheers and applause] all right, let's hope for a bigs dollar amount behind this question. whatever it is, we'll take it. oh, my goodness. >> yes! yes! meredith: $15,000. $37,200. nicely played, john. >> [whimpers] meredith: 8 away from a million. "foreign leaders" is the category. in the 1950s and '60s, what asian country had a president who was affectionately referred to by his citizens as "uncle ho"? japan, india, vietnam, china. >> i believe this refers to ho chi minh, and i believe the

answer would be c--vietnam. meredith: final? >> yeah. final answer. meredith: yeah, you're sticking around-- [cheers and applause] how much money is behind this question? $500. >> all right. it's all good. meredith: $47,700. we're gonna be back with more "millionaire" ri[ man ] when you want to give your immune system some support try new airborne hot soothing mix! with zinc, echinacea and vitamin c. airborne. real immune support.

meredith: here's the "millionaire" question of the day. what game's name is aptly derived from a swahili word meaning "to build"? scrabble, jenga, boggle, dominoes. stay tuned for the answer when we come back.

meredith: welcome back. the answer to the "millionaire" question of the day is jenga. we are back with john kuczaj. bad news, john, here is that you've used up all your lifelines, but the good news is you have $47,700, only 3 away from round 2, at which point you get to keep all the money in the bank. are you ready to keep playing? >> i am ready. meredith: then let's play. [fanfare plays] [cheers and applause] what supermodel has appeared on the most covers of the annual "sports illustrated" swimsuit

issue? elle macpherson, christie brinkley, kathy ireland, cheryl tiegs. >> well, if the question were about all the "sports illustrated" swimsuit issues i possess... meredith: ha ha ha! >> i know the answer, and that would be c--kathy ireland. now let me think about this. elle macpherson, christie brinkley, cheryl tiegs. meredith, i'm gonna swing away on this. i'm going to say c-- kathy ireland... and that's my final answer. meredith: oh, there might be some you haven't collected. it is not kathy ireland. elle macpherson on the cover 5 times. but you know what? you came here to have fun and to play, and you did. you walk away

with a thousand dollars, so it's not a total loss here, john. >> it's good for me. meredith: that sound means that we are out of time, though, for today. thank you for joining us. we appreciate it. you folks as well, thank you for joining us and we'll see you next time. oh! want to give your family more vitamins, omega 3s, easy. it's eb. eggland's best. better eggs. it's eb. announcer: closed captioning spons[ male announcer ] in blind taste tests, even ragu users chose prego. prego?! but i've bought ragu for years. [ thinking ] wonder what other questionable choices i've made? i choose date number 2! whooo! [ sigh of relief ] [ male announcer ] choose taste. choose prego.

[captioning made possible by disney-abc domestic television] [captioned by the national captioning institute] l inouye. he arrives in washington, d.c. today in style. he was aboard air force one as president obama returned to the white house.

what a welcome. he will serve in the senate until the election is held in 2014. and the president is returning to washington as the treasury secretary warns the country is not in a good place when it comes to the national debt. timothy geithner says the government may hit its $16.4 trillion borrowing limit on monday. the president will hear about the fiscal cliff problem as well as members of congress return to washington to address the fiscal cliff. talks will take place behind closed doors. no public negotiations set. you have the debt and the fiscal cliff. it's not looking too good right now when it comes to the u.s. economy. >> geithner told congressional leaders that his department is using some accounting measures basically a fancy way of saying they're going to try to free up some cash to hold off, temporarily, this fiscal cliff. but it's still not looking good. >> i don't know about you at home, but kicking the can down the road, this has been happening over and over again. somebody has to make some decisions here.

>> it's like in this business, they give you a deadline and you have to hit the deadline. there's no coming in and saying take another ten minutes. it don't work that way in real life. there are americans out there saying, get off your couches, get back to washington, and get the deal done. >> sometimes it's not pretty you when you have to rush, but, hey, get it done. still on the economy now, new signs of a turn around in the real estate market. for the first time since 2006, average housing prices may end the year on an upward trend. good news there for the economy. real estate prices in 20 cities were up 4.3% in october compared to last year. that's not a bad increase. and that increase could reach close to 7%, giving homeowners more confidence when it's time to move. the commerce department releases even more sales figures later today. >> good news to report. now to what can only be described as a truly horrific start to a skiing vacation. >> oh, yeah. you've got to watch this. watch as an apparently inexperienced snowboarder tries to be dragged up a mountain in switzerland. he's one of a group of englishmen, all of whom stand by

and -- >> wait for it. wait for it. >> there he goes. he's on his way. he's on his way and -- uh-oh. >> oh, no. >> we're cheering for him now. oh, there it is. >> not going to happen. >> anybody that's gone skiing knows that's a lot harder than it looks. >> it is. my husband will make fun of me when i snowboard. i've gone like five times and i'm still going 2 miles per hour. apparently i don't like to drive in the snow and i don't like to snowboard. but i try. >> i have a confession to make. when i started snowboarding, that was me and i couldn't do it. thankfully, there were no flip cams or iphones ready to take a video. >> were you also cutting the snow, trying to go as slow as possible? >> i can embellish a little and say i did get the hang of it after falling down several times. but i was never youtubed like this guy was.

>> that's good. that's good. >> and i hope i never am youtubed, though it's only a matter of time. >> there's a phone everywhere. just be careful. okay, still ahead here, we have much more to get to this morning, including the billionaire who is encagaged to member of the michael jackson family. and the amazing door-busting deals post christmas shoppers are finding. time to put those gift cards to work. you're watching abc "world news now." ♪ could be as good as you [ woman ] dear cat, your hair mixes with pollen and dust.

i get congested. but now, with zyrtec-d®, i have the proven allergy relief of zyrtec®, plus a powerful decongestant. zyrtec-d® lets me breath freer, so i can love the air. [ male announcer ] zyrtec-d®. behind the pharmacy counter. no prescription needed. it's time to free ourselves from the smell and harshness of bleach. and free ourselves from worrying about the ones we love. new lysol power & free has more cleaning power than bleach. how? the secret is the hydrogen peroxide formula. it attacks tough stains and kills 99.9% of germs.

new lysol power & free. powerful cleaning that's family friendly. another step forward in our mission for health. [ tylenol bottle ] me too! and nasal congestion. [ tissue box ] he said nasal congestion. yeah...i heard him. [ female announcer ] tylenol® cold multi-symptom nighttime relieves nasal congestion. nyquil® cold and flu doesn't.

welcome back. an extraordinary scene played out yesterday in southern california. long lines of cars stretching around corners and down four blocks. all of these are people ready to turn in their guns. >> that's right. they're not lining up for gasoline. this was guns for groceries. in exchange, people sending in assault rifles, any kind of gun you can imagine, all so they would have food to eat. kabc's leigh ann sutter was there. >> one shot gun, one rifle. >> reporter: an suv full of firearms. one of many, as hundreds of residents turn in unwanted weapons for free gift cards. >> i dropped off four .22 rifles, long guns, and a spanish mauzer. >> reporter: the city moved up its annual gun buyback program after the school massacre in newtown. many waiting in the long lines say the tragedy is what spurred them to act. >> because of the recent news,

and all that, we decided to bring in some old guns and drop them off. >> reporter: the line stretched around the block at both locations in van nuys and exposition park. as residents voluntarily surrendered weapons of all shapes and sizes, like this ar-15, similar to the one used in newtown. >> they are exactly the kind of guns that fall into the hands of untrained people who are not their owners and are used for deadly purpose. they are exactly the kind of guns that we want off the street. >> reporter: since the program began in 2009, the lapd collected 8,000 weapons. citizens voluntarily surrender their firearms, no questions asked, no i.d.s needed. in exchange, they get a ralph's gift card. $200 for assault weapons. $100 for other firearms. >> i don't need it anymore. i'm too old already. i'm 85 years old. i don't need that. >> reporter: while critics call it a failure saying it gives people money for old weapons that don't work, officials say they know collecting bins full of assault weapons, like this

tech 9, and a fully functioning automatic world war ii sten gun, save lives. >> wow. the last time they did this, they got about 1700 weapons off the street. >> that's great that they're getting so many weapons, but it's also a worry that there are that many weapons out there that people have no use for. >> those are the ones they're just turning in for the money, or because they want to. who knows the real reason? >> absolutely. coming up, a potential bombshell report about whitney houston's death. and a big business deal involvin

♪ skinny, so skinny thank you so much. willie, that's right. it's time for "the skinny. xwts and i think the first story made a lot of mouths drop. >> absolutely. this has to do with one of america's most beloved performers, one of america's most beloved musicians. whitney houston, the memory of her passing still very fresh. you know, it hasn't been very long. but there are accusations now from a hollywood private investigator who claims that whitney houston was murdered by drug dealers. he claims he has surveillance video that proves it. his name is paul wable, and he's turned over evidence to the fbi,

showing that the 48-year-old singer was killed over a drug debt in february. of course, these are just allegations and accusations. he says he has proof. but again, we haven't seen that proof. of course, if this is true, this would be major, major news. >> in the interview, he also said, well, i don't have -- i can't say that definitely she was killed. but i have proof, and there's video of drugs being delivered. if you're going to say that, you better have the stuff to back it up. >> it's going to take some time to get to the bottom of this one. this one may make your mouth drop, as well. i couldn't believe it. >> me and willis might need to start in on this. jerry! jerry! >> i like, that because it could be on "jerry springer." britney spears and kevin federline. kevin federline's brother says he fathered their first child, not kevin. christopher federline says he's the father of britney spears' first child, who is 7 years old, sean preston. there's britney and kevin. we don't have an image of christopher.

and he also claims that according to the "national enquirer," that britney spears stole his credit cards and ran up a lot of bills. amid all the family drama. but he says, i do confess, i slept with britney. i am the true father of the child, but the public does not need to know. then why are you talking about it? >> they need to televise that paternity test. >> that's not jerry, that's maury. you are the father. you are not the father. thank you, willis, for chiming in. by the way, my family loves you, willis. just have to give you a shoutout there. >> see kevin federline run from backstage. >> it's bad, it's bad. what else is coming up? we have some positive news, too. >> sticking with hollywood, there are rumors now that janet jackson is engaged to a billionaire boyfriend. he is a qatari billionaire. he owns a retail chain of stores. these rumors, they surfaced here and there. rumor has it that they were going to spend $3 million to fly in about 500 guests for this very posh, very elaborate wedding.

$3 million. that's -- that's a pretty big wedding. >> if it is true, and they're very happy, congratulations. there's nothing wrong with that. i hope it works out. patrick dempsey, ladies, you have to -- i believe he's mcdreamy. i don't watch "grey's amatmy." but he's a very attractive young man, correct? he is rescuing a coffee house chain. he has a big heart, as well. trying to save jobs of more than 500. it's called tully's coffee. it failed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. if he goes in there and serves coffee every day, trust me, business will be booming once again. so good luck. i hope he's able to do it. >> and just before we wrap up you "the skinny," a couple of star-crossed starlets in hollywood. there are rumors now that liam hensworth was spotted wearing a ring, suggesting that the couple may now be engaged. >> oh, did they put a ring on

it? >> we want to see this ring, of course. >> you have to look close. you can see it. all right. >> and that is "the skinny." coming up, did you think the shopping season was already over? >> there were bargains. we'll show you. ow you. now with a fancy coating that gives you a burst of wildberry flavor. now why make a flavored heartburn pill? because this is america. and we don't just make things you want, we make things you didn't even know you wanted. like a spoon fork. spray cheese. and jeans made out of sweatpants. so grab yourself some new prilosec otc wildberry. [ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn. satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. if by blessed you mean freaked out about money well we suddenly noticed that everything was getting more expensive so we switched to the bargain detergent but i found myself using three times more than you're supposed to and the clothes still weren't as clean as with tide. so we're back to tide. they're cuter in clean clothes. thanks honey yeah

you suck at folding [ laughs ] [ female announcer ] one cap of tide gives you more cleaning power than 6 caps of the bargain brand. [ woman ] that's my tide, what's yours?

it's time to free ourselves from the smell and harshness of bleach. and free ourselves from worrying about the ones we love. new lysol power & free has more cleaning power than bleach. how? the secret is the hydrogen peroxide formula. it attacks tough stains and kills 99.9% of germs. new lysol power & free. powerful cleaning that's family friendly. another step forward in our mission for health. ♪ doing it with a cold, just not going to happen. vicks dayquil -- powerful non-drowsy 6-symptom cold & flu relief. ♪ no matter what city you're playing tomorrow. [ coughs ]

[ male announcer ] you can't let a cold keep you up tonight. ♪ vicks nyquil -- powerful nighttime 6-symptom cold & flu relief. ♪ ♪ my life is likened to a bargain store ♪ an eclectic group of music today. getting you in the spirit. >> did that just say my life is like a bargain store? >> yes, because this is what this next story is all about. hopefully you're not cheap. >> oh, no, i'm cheap. finally this half hour, don't think the stores are done

trying to separate you from your hard-earned money. christmas may have come and gone, but shopping season isn't over. >> retailers are slashing price in an effort to get you to buy what they have. abc's neal karlinsky checked out the deals. >> reporter: the holidays may be over, but retailers aren't giving up so easy. we watched fresh sale signs going up, as stores took the more important season into overtime. $400 coats down to? >> 60% off. >> reporter: 60% off? >> so $148. >> reporter: you paid $148 for a $400 coat? >> yeah. >> reporter: retailers are desperate for holiday shopping to keep on going after a bleak few weeks. holiday sales rose 0.7% from last year, the slowest growth since 2008. >> key areas were the northeast and mid-atlantic. the impact zone of hurricane sandy is where we saw the weakest growth ff for the year. >> reporter: the season of giving looked a lot more like the season of giving back. >> i got a jacket from my girlfriend that was slightly too big. so i returned it and got back $71 back and the size i wanted. >> reporter: 10% of all gifts are headed straight back to the

store. electronics can be some of the toughest. often with only a 15-day return window. many other items can go back 30 or even 90 days later. though analysts warn that many now require an i.d. between now and new years, some amazing deals out there. we found a 50-inch tv on sale for just $399. computers at costco up to $500 off and discounts up to 50% to 70% off at many, many stores. neal karlinsky, abc news, seattle. >> so brandi, you told us yesterday you were going shopping today to get some stuff on your way back to l.a. did you get anything? >> you know what? oh, look at that. i didn't find anything. this is why. the stores were a lot less crowded. same sales as on christmas weekend. same sales. it was a waste of time. it was nothing discounted even more. so lesson learned. you don't have to do it next year.

>> announcer: this is abc's "world news now."

this morning on "world news now" -- travel trouble. a powerful winter storm barrels into the northeast, snarling roads and flights. >> this is the same deadly storm that cut a path of destruction and spawned tornadoes. and it ain't over yet. it's thursday, december 27th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning. i'm brandi hitt. paula faris is on assignment this morning. and we are up bright and early with you, if you're not able to sleep right now. >> and i'm muhammad lila in for rob nelson. i am so happy to be here. happy to be inside and away from all this weather we're seeing. in so much of the country. hoping everyone has a very safe morning. if you're on the roads, be very safe.

more than 1600 flights have already been canceled by the big winter hit. we'll check in with accuweather in a moment. but also ahead, we're going to take you up in arms. the gun owners who are furious after a newspaper published their names and addresses and how public records are sparking a public outrage. also, talk about what a year in politics. where do we even start? we're going to look back at the biggest campaign moments of the hardest fought fight of 2012. hopefully we can shrink that down into just a couple of minutes, because there's so much. and later. a very good news story. you're going to want to stick around for this. lost and found. an owner is reunited with a cat that had been missing for seven years. the unlikely journey with a very happy ending. >> we'll tell you how it happened, because you may want to follow the same suit in case you lose your pet. first, the blinding storm dumping snow and freezing rain from michigan all the way to maine and it's being blamed for at lest six deaths now.

>> right now, 13 states are under winter watches, warnings and advisories as the storm moves east with powerful winds, knocking out power, glazing over roads and grounding flights, as the snow piles up in new england, heavy wind-swept rain is pelting new york, philadelphia and d.c. >> it's just a mess. at one point the snow was coming down 3 inches an hour in parts of indiana. try driving in that. dangerous winds created whiteout conditions around ft. wayne where drivers were told simply stay off the roads. there's no reason for you to be there. it was so bad, several snowplows even lid off the highway. you know it's bad when that happens. dozens of cars struggling to make it up the slick hills. >> and now we're talking about the cleanup. that cleanup job is far from over after dozens of violent christmas day tornadoes raked over the south. forecasters say a twister that tore across mobile, alabama, was an ef-2, packing winds as high as 135 miles per hour. it cut a six-mile path through the city. it heavily damaged a high school, church and a number of

homes. tens of thousands of people lost power. >> this storm has also made a mess out of the return trip for holiday travelers. you know you're stuck at the airport right now how hard it is. hundreds, perhaps thousands of flights have been canceled, and that's just so far. others were delayed for hours, leaving passengers stranded. even a pilot was among those voicing frustration. more now from abc's lisa stark. >> reporter: for tens of thousands of travelers scrambling to get home, any holiday cheer is gone. frustration even boiling over in the cockpit. one american airlines pilot talking to his passengers, was clearly fed up after nearly five hours on board, waiting to take off. >> it's beyond reproach. i have no words to tell you how sorry i am for all this. decisions are being made way above our heads by people that obviously, in my humble opinion, don't have a clue what they're doing. >> reporter: that flight from

dallas to las vegas never got off the ground. now, lots of delays here. our bill weir was stuck on a flight at laguardia. here's what he tweeted. after an hour on the runway, toilet clogged. so passengers are going to need lots of patience. on thursday, already 100 flights canceled for thursday. more expected. the advice, as always, check with your airlines before you head to the airport. lisa stark, abc news, reagan national airport. >> you do not want to be stuck when there's a toilet clogged. no, thank you. to say the at least, this storm has brought holiday travel plans just to a complete halt. >> and our storm coverage continues with meteorologist andrew baglini from accuweather. good morning, andrew. >> thankfully the severe weather aspect of our storm is over with. sunshine returning to the southeast. the cleanup continues between interstates 10 and 20 from houston to mobile where we saw

over 30 reports of tornadoes and 80 reports of damaging wind gusts. the winter weather aspect still very much alive. heavy rain along the i-95. and strong winds as well. heavy snow blanketing much of the northeast. bangor, maine, looking up to 6 to 8 inches. north of that, especially northern portions of new england, over one foot of snow. muhammad and brandi, back to you. >> all right, thanks, andrew. what do you think of that pilot just coming out and telling the truth? would that reassure you? >> no, it would make me more scared. but here's the deal, your in-laws are staying here a lot longer now. if you were hoping to get a break, your mom and dad or your in-laws coming back, saying we're going to be here for a couple more days. hopefully you love your in-laws. >> i'm away from home right now, but if my in-laws are staying, you are welcome to stay as long as you would like. >> good answer, muhammad. good answer. because of this storm, the search for two missing students in maine is suspended indefinitely. state police divers used sonar in their efforts to locate the two. they were last seen drinking with friends a week ago at

wells' home and they're students at a yacht-building school along the maine coast. in other news, hundreds of schoolteachers plan to attend firearms training today in salt lake city. the 200 teachers come from districts all across utah and they volunteered for the concealed weapons training that is offered each year. organizers say in past years, only a few dozen teachers have attended this training, but they're expecting an overflow crowd now because of this month's tragedy in newtown, connecticut. to another growing gun controversy over a newspaper's decision to publish the names and addresses of hand gun permit holders. even though the information is a matter of public record, the publication has outraged a lot of readers of "the journal news." they suggest it puts the permit holders in danger because criminals have a guide to places they can steal guns. >> disclosure of the name and the home ard address of every

fi firearms licensee in new york has been a matter of public records for years. >> i may have some neighbors that don't look in favor of gun owners and may feel threatened. >> how is this for payback? some responded by publicizing the home addresses and phone numbers of the reporter who wrote the piece, among with other journalists at the paper. >> oh, wow. a little bit of payback there. as you saw with the map, you can click on your own neighborhood. this is public information, that is the one thing we should point out. but is it going too far? if you do have a gun, are you letting people know hey, this house has a gun. you can come in and steal it. or this house doesn't have a gun, how am i going to protect myself if burglars try to rob the place? >> it's not just burglars. there is organized crime and gangs involved that will stake out people's houses if they know there are guns there just to see how easy it is to break in and get them. so there is a legitimate concern there. i'm just happy i'm not that reporter who did that piece, because that's a tough one. when your home address and all that privacy is violated, that's tough. >> you got to be careful what you do sometimes.

okay, well, some athletes are in the news today. listen to this. first off, dallas cowboys lineman josh brent has been indicted for intoxication manslaughter. brant is charged in connection with the crash that killed his friend and teammate jerry brown earlier this month. he's free on bond. the maximum sentence for the charge he's facing is 20 years. no word on when he'll be back in court. today is the deadline for lance armstrong to appeal his lifetime ban because of allegations he used performance-enhancing drugs. when that ban was imposed, armstrong's seven tour de france victories were erased. armstrong has signaled that he has no intention of 'peeling the ban before today's deadline. >> and some of the french folks armstrong may have rode past are breaking a holiday season taboo and selling their unwanted

presents. >> they might be on to something there. that's exactly what they were doing at this store in paris yesterday. patrons saying it's better than regifting. and during tough economic times, they've got a point, any bit of money really counts. >> and 52% of french people are planning to make money from their gifts. and maybe the other 48% are lying about it. here's the deal. you all know you've gotten a bad christmas present before. i have family members, you will remain nameless because we're on national television right now, and you're like, what am i supposed to do with this? and if you could make some money off of it, i would think they would be happy for you if you could make money off of it. instead of just throwing it out. >> regifting is almost a way of saving money any way. >> have you regifted? >> i'm trying to think. you know what? >> you have. >> i think we all have. >> you know you have. >> i've regifted. when you get that third or fourth toaster that you don't need anymore, what are you going to do? >> and candles. there's always a lot of candles. everybody agrees with me. coming up, what a spellbinding year in politics.

the 2012 campaign headlines that all kept us glued to the tv. >> and you're going to want to see this. what a story of lost and found. a beloved pet feline missing for seven years and the unusual way she found her way home. you're watching "world news now." meow, meow. >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by consumer cellar. hey sis,

it's so great to see you. you, too! oh, cloudy glasses. you didn't have to come over! actually, honey, i think i did... oh? you did? whoa, ladies, easy. hi. cascade kitchen counselor. we can help avoid this with cascade complete pacs. see, over time, cascade complete pacs fight film buildup two times better than finish quantum. to help leave glasses sparkling shiny! too bad it doesn't work on windows.

okay, i'm outta here. cascade. the clear choice. ♪ welcome back, everyone. president obama is heading back to the white house. he's cutting his hawaiian i have occasion short in order to be in washington, where priority number one is avoiding the

fiscal cliff. >> unless the president obama and congress can reach a deal by the new year, tax increases and spending cuts will automatically take effect. >> and the clock is ticking. of course, when we look back at this year, president obama's re-election was one of the biggest political stories of the year. all others, you could say, they pealed in comparison. >> with the first of our year-enders, here's abc's karen travers. >> reporter: to win a second term, president obama had to overcome a well funded opponent, a struggling economy, and voters' doubts that he had the right agenda to turn the nation around. [ chanting ] >> all: four more years! >> reporter: and after a roller coaster season, he got them. mitt romney may have started off at the frontrunner, but to win the republican nomination, he had to fend off some feisty challengers. >> he's the worst republican in the country to put up against barack obama. >> the odds are very high i'm going to be the nominee. >> reporter: and overcome some

self-inflicted wounds. >> i like being able to fire people who provide services to me. >> reporter: after nearly 50 primary contests, romney finally clenched the nomination and it was on to the general election. >> it will be a choice between -- >> two very different paths. >> reporter: their battle focused on the economy. the overwhelming top issue to voters. >> we can't afford another four years like the last four years. >> we need more tax cuts for working americans. >> reporter: early on, two key moments changed the subject and helped the president. >> i think same-sex couples should be able to get married. >> the supreme court has upheld the requirement that every american buy health insurance. >> reporter: in june, president obama announced a new policy that would allow at least 800,000 young immigrants facing deportation to stay in the u.s. >> in their hearts, in their minds, they are americans through and through. >> reporter: and he was rewarded on election day. hispanics made up 10% of the electorate this year. and the president won 71% of them. mr. obama had the power of the presidency, but he also had his

own missteps, which kept romney in the running. >> you didn't build that. >> reporter: neither side saw a major bounce out of the convention. both may be remembered for moments that didn't come from the candidates. >> what do you mean shut up? >> the numbers don't add up. >> reporter: just as romney's campaign was hoping to hit the reset button, another major self-inflicted wound. >> the 47% that are with him, that are dependent on the government. >> reporter: pundits declared doom for the republican contender. but the president didn't bring that up in the first debate, giving romney a convincing win. and then a burst of life in the national polls. then a late october surprise from mother nature that put the campaign on hold. >> this morning, the perfect storm. >> reporter: and resulted in some strange political bedfellows. >> i want to thank the president personally. >> reporter: by the end of this long, nasty campaign, millions of americans felt the same as this sobbing 4-year-old.

>> i'm tired of barack obama and mitt romney. >> reporter: on november 6th, an historic win for president obama, who picked up every critical battleground state. >> barack obama has been re-elected. >> reporter: there were tears in boston. >> i so wish i had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead the country in a different direction. >> reporter: and jubilation in chicago. as the president looked ahead to four more years. >> i return to the white house more determined and more inspired than ever. >> reporter: karen travers, abc news, washington. >> some iconic moments there. it's nice to go back over those moments and relive them for a little bit. >> no matter what politics you side with, it was great seeing all the republican candidates during the debate this year. my favorite, herman cain. no matter what, there were just these moments that make you laugh. even he makes fun of himself now. he goes and does comedic skits. >> you know who was better than herman cain?

mike tyson as herman cain. >> i know it's serious sometimes, but when you look back, you can find a lot of comedic moments. >> we want to set the scene very quickly about the fiscal cliff. it's a very important issue coming up. president obama arrives back in d.c. today. the senate due in session today, but house leaders aren't saying whether they're going to call the chamber into session, because there's some back and forth going on and everybody still can't agree. >> as always. coming up, why good credit may be considered sexy, guys. but first, the cat in the middle of a lost and found story that's lasted seven years. and now it's finally over. that story coming up next.

♪ meow meow meow meow meow now that you're up, you're going to have that song roll

through your head the rest of the morning. welcome back. usually, when we report an owner's reunion with a pet, maybe the animal has been lost for days or weeks. >> that's what makes this story so unusual. it's a reunion after seven years. monica lempert reports from phoenix. >> i just want my little girl back. my princess. >> reporter: seven years ago, tricia's little sophia went missing. >> i cried for a week straight. after we found out that she went missing. >> reporter: this past weekend, sophia was found in san diego, about 400 miles away from her home here in phoenix. >> i'm beyond excited. i just want to get her back home. >> reporter: she anxiously awaits sophia's arrival back home at the phoenix airport. >> i'm so excited. i want to see my baby after all this time. >> reporter: finally, after seven long years, the moment arrives. [ crying ] >> oh, my gosh, sophia.

>> reporter: yes, tricia and her cat, sofia, are reunited once again. >> i was in disbelief. how does that happen? how does a cat come up seven years later from phoenix to san diego? >> reporter: this past weekend, the san diego humane society received sophia from a family that could no longer care for her. >> we scanned her for a microchip. her microchip had tricia's contact information and we got in touch with her. and she said, oh my -- oh, my gosh. my cat has been missing for seven years. >> i am so thankful. i am so incredibly thankful. >> reporter: for tricia, this will be one present she'll never forget. >> it's incredible. it's a christmas miracle right now. >> so cute. >> almost brings tears to your eyes. look at that. >> it does. it makes sense to get the chip. oh, look at that. are you a cat guy? you look like you're mad.

like you're trying to give away the cat. >> yeah, but that's my photo when i'm overseas. trying to look -- >> in a war zone?

♪ so i'm sort of learning the ropes here. getting into "the mix." we've got "the mix" right now. is there a little dance that goes on with that? we have to come back before that. she's got her thing going on. and i like it. >> i try. i'm a bad dancer. >> we were talking about getting youtubed. that's going to get us on youtube. >> it may. >> we want to start off "the mix," by taking you to washington, d.c. and some starbucks in washington, d.c., deciding to jump right into this whole fiscal cliff debate. coffee baristas are -- they've been told to write on coffee cups to say "come together." so they're writing this handwritten message saying come together as a way of encouraging

politicians who are in d.c. to come together and get this fiscal cliff thing done. no word yet on when people get extra lattes, if there is's enough space to write "get your lazy ass off vacation and get this done." [ laughter ] >> willis likes that a lot more. i can hear it in the background. >> i wonder if there's enough room. >> no, i don't know about that. okay, ladies and gents, if you're looking for love, oh, boy, you better have a good credit score. take a look at this. ♪ so hot right now that our designer sun glasses be fogging ♪ >> okay, yeah. we're not going to say we're going after those guys, but it's the credit score guys. "the new york times" is reporting that credit scores are huge and that could be at the top of the list. maybe after looks and personality is credit scores. they interviewed people across the u.s., all under the age of 40, and the newspaper discovered that a low credit score is a deal-breaker when in search of

love right now in the economy. so if you don't have your act together, take care of that and maybe you'll find love. >> can you imagine, hi, how are you? where are you from? where did you go to school? what is your credit score? >> 420. no, mine is a lot higher. >> we want to show you this next footage. anyone who has ever had their parking spot stolen is going to love this. look at this. this is in russia. we don't know why this car is being towed. but forget the tow truck. >> it's the claw! >> the claw of death to take this car away. i have got to get me one of these. because i would just love to drive around town. >> in new york especially. and speaking of cars, if you just have a little bit of money to spend, maybe $6.5 million, there's a ferrari with your name on it. it's the 250 gt-swb and it's being auctioned off in arizona. and it's the 17th model, apparently 1960s. very highly sought after. so if you have $6.5 mil, it can be yours. muhammad, you got that hanging

around? >> uh, no but i think just being able to pronounce that, you get

this morning on "world news now" -- health concerns. former president george h.w. bush is moved to intensive care. >> he's been in a houston hospital since thanksgiving and his doctors say his health has taken an unfortunate turn. it's thursday, december 27th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> and good morning. i'm brandi hitt in for paula faris. >> and i'm muhammad lila in for rob nelson. happy thursday morning. or as i'm learning, day four in our terminology here at "world news now." >> yes. i'm so glad you came back. we were a little worried. this overnight shift sometimes scares people away. >> it does. but you know what? i've heard.

and i thing it's true. the viewers of this show are the coolest television viewers around. even though we get some different faces, there's one constant here, we've got willis backing us up. willis in the house, ladies and gentlemen. >> you can hear him behind us every time. thank you for joining us and staying up. maybe you can't sleep, but we appreciate you here with us. thank you, willis. >> any time. any time. coming up, we'll hear from a bush family spokeperson as the 41st president struggles to get better. then our other top story, the winter storm that is crippling a huge section of the country, setting its sights on the northeast this morning with a vengeance. >> and no one is being spared by this storm as it's made its way across the country. also this morning, survivor's guilt in webster, new york. we're hearing from first responders who managed to survive that deadly arson and shooting plot. they're talking about an unforgettable ordeal on christmas. later, helping the fbi crack down on moving companies that want to take you and your belongings for a ride. you're going to want to see how customers went undercover and helped federal agents.

>> really interesting how they shot this video, kind of opens your eyes to the whole ordeal. >> absolutely. absolutely. but first, former president h.w. bush is in intensive care this morning at a houston hospital. mr. bush, who is 88 years old, has been battling a series of setbacks since he was first hospitalized late last month. >> and now a persistent fever has gotten worse, and the president has been put on a liquid diet. a spokesperson says doctors are cautiously optimistic. >> he's in a bad way, but the doctors believe that there's a path for him to recover from this, and if we can get him to rally a little bit, we can start talking about a discharge date. but we're not there yet. >> former first lady barbara bush and the former president's children have been at his bedside during this entire medical crisis. >> it's got to be really tough for him, too. he's such an active president. i don't know if many of you know this, he goes skydiving practically every birthday. 85th birthday, skydiving,

jumping out of a plane. even on his 80th birthday. the idea that he's had setback after setback that's kept him in the hospital. >> and anyone that's gone through this, that has an elderly family member in the hospital, the first thing you look for is, have they called the family to the bedside? so we know the family is surrounding him. certainly our prayers and best wishes go out to them. now to our other major story. a powerful winter storm that just continues to sweep across the country. it's now being blamed for at least six deaths. watches and warnings have been posted in 13 states, from the midwest to the south and the northeast. fierce winds, heavy snow really having an impact on millions of people throughout this christmas week. for more now, we turn to abc's brad wheelis. >> reporter: it's hard to get out and about for many people in the u.s. downright impossible for some. >> basically whiteout conditions. you look out the window and you couldn't hardly see outside. it's crazy. you couldn't even see the cars out front. >> reporter: a massive winter storm is dropping record amounts of snowfall. from arkansas up through the midwest to illinois and indiana. the powerful weather system is

now a mighty nor'easter, packing furious winds and dumping more snow on already treacherous roads. >> we tried to get out of the parking spot in front of my apartment, and it's -- we're spinning in circles. >> reporter: the storm system also spawned dozens of rare december tornados that slammed into towns along the gulf coast. mobile, alabama, got hit hard. wide swaths of the port city plunged into darkness. >> the power went out, and we could hear it coming and we ran and jumped in the bathtub. >> reporter: churches, homes, schools, crumbled in the furious onslaught. >> you forgot that it was christmas for a while. >> reporter: tens of thousands of airline travelers across the u.s. were told to forget about getting to their destinations on schedule. the frustration was even felt in one cockpit. an american airlines pilot talking to his passengers were clearly fed up after waiting nearly five hours to take off. >> decisions are being made way above our heads by people that obviously, in my humble opinion, don't have a clue what they're doing. >> reporter: that flight, from

dallas to las vegas, never took off. brad wheelis, abc news, los angeles. >> unbelievable. some areas in new england could get a foot of snow before this storm goes ahead and blows out to sea. >> and our coverage continues with the latest from accuweather and meteorologist andrew baglini. good morning. >> good morning, muhammad and brandi. thankfully the severe weather aspect of the storm is over. looking at a lot of heavy rain and very strong winds along the i-95 corridor of boston, north into bangor where we're seeing as we transfer over, some sleet. and there's snow into bangor, we could pick up 6 so 8 inches. we'll see that tapering off in buffalo. but buffalo through northern portions of maine, especially the north new england states, picking up a lot of wet, heavy snow. making for some tricky travels on the roadways. widespread travel delays. again, sunshine returning to the southeast where the cleanup

continues from the over 30 records of tornadoes and 80 reports of damaging gusts. >> thanks, andrew. we run a lot of weather footage. and i think the reason why we run it and why viewers like to see it is because if you're watching the weather footage, you're probably at home where you're not stuck on the road and you don't want to be on the road. look at that. it's a little comforting to be at home and know that we are not stuck in that. that is near cleveland, ohio. the turnpike there, turning into a danger zone. you can barely see the vehicles as they're moving. visibility there dropped to zero. >> there's also some video from the buffalo area. they're used to lake-effect snows. but this storm is definitely different here. snowplow crews are hitting the roads fully prepare frd several inches of snow. they're doing it early. i've never driven in snow. i don't ever want to drive in snow. if it was me, i would be going 2 miles per hour and you would all be behind me taking forever to get to your destination. >> you're the kind of person that you want driving in the snow. you don't want to be going fast in the snow. it's always those drivers going 40, 50 miles per hour when you

really shouldn't be. >> i'll wait. just take a break and we'll do it some other time. just be safe out there, everybody. in other news today, two firefighters who were hurt in that dead lly shooting near rochester, new york, are doing much better. joseph and theodore had been in guarded conditions but they're now being upgraded to satisfactory. the hospital released a statement on their behalf saying they are "humbled and a bit overwhelmed by the outpouring of well wishes for us and our families." a police officer, who was slightly injured that that shooting, is also overwhelmed. >> i have many different emotions ranging from guilt to happiness, because i was home, you know, so i can't explain my emotions. >> a fellow police officer, who is not being identified, apparently confronted the gunman. he's credited for preventing further bloodshed. to the newtown tragedy now and a message you may not think you would hear.

town leaders are asking well wishers across the country to stop sending the town gifts. it's not because they don't want them. it's because they've been getting so many gifts that the small community can't keep up with it. they don't have the capacity to process all of them. the united way announced wednesday a fund established after the shooting to support newtown has grown to a wonderful $3.5 million. toyota has agreed to a $1 billion legal settlement, one of the largest in history, after deadly crashes involving toyotas with unintended acceleration. 16 million drivers filed a class action lawsuit against toyota. this morning, the settlement is a step closer to being a done deal. toyota agreed to fix 3 million cars to make them safer and even cover the cost of depreciation. a judge must sign off on that legal settlement though. and now for the first time ever. i have to say, i've been practicing this, getting ready for this moment all week. this is like when they announce your name and you have to say

that one important thing. here it is. our "favorite story of the day." comes to us from far eastern russia. we needed a sound effect. >> there it is. the stamp of approval. >> there we go. i like it. >> you have to see this. these adorable bear cubs are being cared for by forestry officials. they are both 3 months old. it's believed their mother was unfortunately killed by hunters. would have likely meant their deaths as well. they are just too young to care for themselves. but boy, can they climb. >> oh, look at that. and of course, the question that we all want to know, they are being called mashk a&m ishka. no idea what that means. we have no idea which one is which. >> if you're home right now, say you got up and couldn't sleep, you may be grumpy, but that puts you in a good mood no matter what. >> absolutely. i wish we could see more of that. >> we may have to bring the bears back. i'm going to tell scott in the studio right now. still ahead on "world news now," family life inside the obama white house.

the inside scoop you're only going to get from a barbara walters exclusive. cracking down on moving companies that want to take you for a ride. we'll show you how customers are taking action. you're watching "world news now." ♪ don't come back no more no more no more no more hit the road, jack, and don't you come back no more ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by no-no hair removal. w" weather brought to you by no-no hair removal.

♪ that's interesting music. >> a little bit of techno for the morning. welcome back, everyone. you know why we were showing footage of the white house. president obama is heading back to the white house, cutting his hawaiian vacation short to be in washington where priority number one is avoiding the fiscal cliff. >> unless mr. obama and congress can reach a deal by the new year, across-the-board tax increases and deep spending cuts will be automat liically taking effect. and while the president takes his red-eye flight back here to d.c., the first lady and their daughters are staying in hawaii. >> the first couple sat down with our very own barbara walters before their vacation. we pick up their conversation with talk about their family. >> i want to talk a bit about the girls. we've been watching them grow up

from little girls to young ladies. malia recently got her first cell phone. do you monitor it and see who she calls or who she texts? >> i give my daughter, at this age, i give her a long rope. and there is monitoring, because we have rules. but monitoring may be, you never know when i'm going to walk in your room and i'm going to definitely ask you, who are you talking to? and are you talking about school work? >> and they're not very good at lying. we joke sometimes about how malia is getting to the age now, boys start calling and sort of -- i always talk about how one of the main incentives for running again was continuing secret service protection. >> mr. president, mrs. obama, there is a photograph of you that became viral. became the most shared photograph in the history of twitter. how do you keep the fire going? >> that's a good question. >> you know, we've been married

now 20 years, and like every marriage, i think you have your ups and you have your downs. but if you work through the tough times, the respect and love that you feel deepens. >> you know, mrs. obama, you told me at one point that you would never run for political office. you said that you don't have the patience for political life. patience for what? >> i have learned from my husband, watching him, that it does require a great deal of patience to really feel the full impact of the work that you do on the ground. it doesn't happen right away. >> and she has a bigger difficulty biting her tongue. >> i think i've done pretty well at that. >> not bad. >> i have opinions. >> she's got a few views. >> you know a little something about views. >> yes, something about views. yes, i do. >> don't they look happy? >> they do.

they do. when it comes to sasha and malia, you have to wonder what guy is going to approach them for a date. i know my dad was tough. thank you, dad, for being tough. but they have secret service. i mean, come on. >> you try to call them and people are following you around. you know what? that's a tough one. >> they look happy, though. coming up, we're going to show you the movers from hell. >> this is undercover video. see what happens when a couple goes up against their moving company after demands for thousands of dollars more. that is next. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations.

♪ hit the road, jack, and don't come back no more ♪ >> what you say? ♪ hit the road, jack, and don't you come back no more no more no more no more ♪ great song. welcome back. anyone who has moved, oh, you know it, moving can be such a pain. it's not only timely, it can be

expensive, unless you do it on your own. >> what you are about to see is a couple who got so fed up when their moving experience went from bad to awfully expensive. take a look at what they did. here's abc's elisabeth leamy. >> i'm ready, man. i'm ready for somebody. >> reporter: meet the movers from hell. >> i'm ready to jump on you, get inside the house, [ bleep ]. >> reporter: caught on a customer's camera, delivering broken belongings. >> the tv is ruined. >> reporter: delivering them late. >> is this something you have been waiting for? >> for a year and a half. >> reporter: and just dumping them outside. >> nothing is going in the house. everything is going out here. >> reporter: the fight is about whether the customer should have to pay the original estimate of $7,000 or the $25,000 the moving company demanded later. >> he's threatening me right now. >> reporter: and this is not the only case. >> he would just go ballistic on us. >> reporter: cameron and vanessa hired the same moving company

and had a similar experience. a low-ball estimate of about $3,000, followed by a demand for nearly $10,000. >> it was crazy. we slept on the wood floor. we had nothing. >> reporter: the mover was golden hand of colorado. >> i actually told them, you're not even the company that i talked to in the first place to make this deal. and he says, well, i'm the company that you need to be talking to now, because i have your stuff. >> reporter: it's the latest problem in the moving industry. customers book their moves online, not realizing they're dealing with sketchy moving brokers who provide unrealistically low estimates, then sell the leads to actual movers, like golden hand, that jack up the price and hold people's goods hostage until they pay. >> i had said, what if cam and i go undercover, find out if he really has our goods. >> reporter: cameron and vanessa went undercover for the fbi, to this warehouse, and found their stuff and lots of other

people's. their stealth mission helped the feds close the case, and a nonprofit called move rescue started by legitimate movers helped them. >> we're able to use our network of mayflower agents across the country that will pick up those goods that have often been abandoned in storage and deliver them to the customer free of charge. >> reporter: the government indicted golden hands' owner on 55 counts, including extortion and theft. all because of some scrappy customers and their cameras. >> you can get off the property now. >> reporter: elisabeth leamy, abc news, washington. >> great to see people taking the situation under control on their own. we should note that an attorney for the moving company said this that the owner is a small businessman who feels he did his moving work the best that he could under confusing regulations and difficult circumstances and deadlines. we want to show you this, as well. >> nice. that is me.

that is me, because -- good picture. i do this all the time when we move. we do it ourselves. it's hard work but you don't end up with what that unfortunate couple had to deal with. >> absolutely. a nice picture, by the way. >> thank you very much. unfortunate couple had to deal with. harshne. and free ourselves from worrying about the ones we love. new lysol power & free has more cleaning power than bleach. how? the secret is the hydrogen peroxide formula. it attacks tough stains and kills 99.9% of germs. new lysol power & free. powerful cleaning that's family friendly. another step forward in our mission for health.

♪ the seven days of kwanzaa ♪ and be -- the seven that was nice music. i wasn't expecting it but it was nice. we're in that break right now where you were all festive for christmas, now you're waiting for new year's for that next big party. you don't have to be. because you can still be festive because it is kwanzaa. it started yesterday and runs until january 1st. >> if you don't know, kwanzaa is week-long secular celebration to honor african-american heritage. it's been celebrated in the u.s. since 1967. karen jordan of wls in chicago has more. >> reporter: drums signal the start of kwanzaa, a week-long celebration of african heritage

and culture among african-americans. this is the 18th year that malcolm x college is hosting a kwanzaa observance, and organizers say it gets larger every year. >> it's about the ritual. it's about the culture. it's about the history. about families coming together so that they can be with each other. and we share and talk about where we've come from, where we are now, and where we must go as a people. >> reporter: kwanzaa is based on seven principles, and each day is dedicated to one of those principles. families seem to be taking it to heart. different generations celebrating together. steven flowers brought his niece and nephew. >> i think it's important for young african-americans to understand and know about their culture. >> i thought us coming out to this was a good opportunity, because it's like we're exploring something other than what we are already doing. ♪ >> reporter: young people are the focus of a kwanzaa celebration at the bronzeville children's museum.

>> seven beautiful principles that we should follow every day of the year. >> reporter: where they get an early start learning about their heritage. back at malcolm x college, this man wants to instill that pride in his children. >> in today's society, it's all about commercial things. buy me, buy me, buy me. this is family oriented. >> reporter: karen jordan, abc news. >> it is nice to see people celebrating the holiday. >> it is. it is. before we end the half hour, as promised, we are bringing back what you called the best video of the day. >> the best video of the day. we have to just leave with this story. we could just watch this all morning. look at that. >> if that doesn't make you smile, i don't know what will. he's thirsty. >> they're probably dangerous, too, if you go up close to them. but they still look cute. >> where's boo-boo? >> oh, look out. >> we need a picnic basket. get them a picnic basket. get them a picnic basket.

this morning on "world news now" -- holiday havoc. the northeast is now getting pounded by the powerful winter storm that caused so much damage as it cut across the country. snow, sleet, ice and dangerous winds are making a mess out of after-christmas travel on the roads and in the air. it's thursday, december 27th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, i'm muhammad lila. in for rob nelson who is off this morning. had such a good time yesterday i thought i would come back. >> did you get any sleep, mr. muhammad lila? >> i got four hours sleep, which is probably three hours more than some of our viewers. have gotten. we're glad you're awake. all of our insomniacs staying with us. >> we're so glad you came back, as well. good to have you.

i'm brandi hitt in for paula faris. she's out on assignment today. we'll get to the latest on that track of that monster storm system in a moment. but first this half hour, the growing concern also this morning about former president george h.w. bush and his health. the setbacks that have put him into intensive care. then we're going to show you trading guns for groceries. the big city weapons buyback program that's getting big results after the newtown, connecticut, school massacre. >> you're going to see more of that long line. unbelievable how many people turned out and the types of guns that were turned in. really interesting. also later, a pretty daring claim about the death of a diva. what a hollywood private eye is claiming about whitney houston. was she really murdered? that's coming up in "the skinny" later on. >> and those are some pretty, pretty shocking claims there. we begin with the treacherous winter storm that is snarling traffic on the ground and in the air and is responsible for killing at least six people so far. >> up to a foot of snow has fallen in parts of indiana and pennsylvania.

much of the same is expected now this morning in new england. winter storm warnings are posted in more than a dozen states. we begin with abc's alex perez. >> reporter: strong winds whipped around fast-falling snow in indianapolis and made getting around by foot or car nearly impossible. david mathis struggled just to keep up with the shoveling. you saw no snow and then, within a couple of hours, what did you see? >> basically whiteout conditions. you looked out the window and couldn't hardly see outside. >> reporter: the massive storm leading to blizzard warnings in at least eight states. 30-mile-per-hour wind gusts in parts of indiana and ohio. slippery roads and poor visibility across the heartland blamed for the deaths of at least six people. in oklahoma, icy roads forced some frustrated drivers to follow a plow truck just to have a clear path. in little rock, freezing temperatures snapped power lines, leaving many in the dark. >> my friend is out of electricity and out of heat. i come to get a propane exchange, but the lights went out before i could get checked out. >> reporter: back in

indianapolis, spinout after spinout, stranded motorists could not compete with the storm. you guys have been trying to get out? >> yes, we're trying to get out of the parking spot and we're spinning in circles. >> reporter: and the wrath of this storm is not over just yet. the snow has ended here, but the next big wave of bad weather is already slamming the northeast. alex perez, abc news, indianapolis. >> and it could be a week before power knocked out by this monster storm is restored to thousands of people in arkansas. other areas of the south are struggling to recover from the christmas day tornado outbreak that hit. a twister that ripped through mobile, alabama, had winds topping 130 miles per hour. look at that damage. it barreled across six miles, tearing apart rooftops, storefronts, and everything in its path. >> you can't tell it's our neighborhood. there is a house right there, i was at a stop sign and it's completely caved in. >> what a mess. the severe weather knocked out power to thousands of people as

temperatures also took a dive. >> we've been taking a look at the conditions on the ground, but it's also up in the air. this storm system is forcing airlines to cancel at least 1,600 flights. that's turning this christmas travel week into a nightmare for people just trying to get home. >> definitely. our coverage continues with meteorologist andrew baglini. he's in the accuweather desk. good morning, andrew. >> good morning, brandi and muhammad. thankfully the severe aspect of our storm is over with. cooler, drier air making its way in. sunshine returning to the southeast. the cleanup continues, especially on interstates 10 and 20 between houston and mobile, where we saw over 80 reports of damaging wind gusts. the winter weather aspect of our storm still very much alive. heavy rain along i-95 in boston. snow blanketing much of new england. especially on the northern edge of new england. many areas could pick up over a foot of snow. muhammad and brandi, back to you. >> thank you, andrew. now to the rest of your weather. light rain in phoenix and albuquerque and much of texas. snow showers from the dakotas to des moines and snowy in the northern rockies and cascades.

showers from seattle to portland. >> when it comes to temperatures, it's in the 30s in boise and salt lake city. only in the teens from billings to minneapolis. omaha, 22. chicago, you're 30. and mostly 40s in the northeast. now to our other major story. former president george h.w. bush is in intensive care after another health setback. a spokesperson says doctors have not been able to lower mr. bush's high fever, so he's been restricted to a liquid diet. the 41st president is said to be alert and speaking with medical staff, conversing very well. mr. bush, who is 88 years old, has been in the hospital since late last month. and former south african president nelson mandela is out of the hospital. government leaders say that the anti-apartheid icon has been released after spending more than two weeks in the hospital. he was suffering from a lung infection and other ailments there. the 94-year-old will receive

more medical care at his johannesburg home. >> many are celebrating that move that he's going home, but you know you can't be 100% okay and healthy if you're going to be getting home care. so you wonder if he's going to have issues down the road. >> this is an interesting case, because there's an entire nation that's waiting on bated breath. waiting to see if he's going to be okay. at 94 years old, a lot of things can happen when you get admitted to the hospital. sometimes you're there for something simple and it just continues and continues. we're not talking about just a south african leader, this is a global icon. >> definitely for everything he's done. we'll keep you up to date on that, as well. that and george h.w. bush, because we have two developing stories on both fronts there. hawaii's lieutenant governor is representing his state in the u.s. senate. democrat brian shatz has been appointed to succeed the late senator daniel inouye. he arrives in washington, d.c. today in style. he was aboard air force one as president obama returned to the white house. what a welcome. he will serve in the senate

until the election is held in 2014. and the president is returning to washington as the treasury secretary warns the country is not in a good place when it comes to the national debt. timothy geithner says the government may hit its $16.4 trillion borrowing limit on monday. the president will hear about the fiscal cliff problem as well as members of congress return to washington to address the fiscal cliff. talks will take place behind closed doors. no public negotiations set. you have the debt and the fiscal cliff. it's not looking too good right now when it comes to the u.s. economy. >> geithner told congressional leaders that his department is using some accounting measures basically a fancy way of saying they're going to try to free up some cash to hold off, temporarily, this fiscal cliff. but it's still not looking good. >> i don't know about you at home, but kicking the can down the road, this has been happening over and over again. somebody has to make some tough decisions here. >> it's like in this business,

they give you a deadline and you have to hit the deadline. there's no coming in and saying take another ten minutes. it don't work that way in real life. there are americans out there saying, get off your couches, get back to washington, and get the deal done. >> sometimes it's not pretty when you have to rush, but, hey, get it done. still on the economy now, new signs of a turn around in the real estate market. for the first time since 2006, average housing prices may end the year on an upward trend. good news there for the economy. real estate prices in 20 cities were up 4.3% in october compared to last year. that's not a bad increase. and that increase could reach close to 7%, giving homeowners more confidence when it's time to move. the commerce department releases even more sales figures later today. >> good news to report. now to what can only be described as a truly horrific start to a skiing vacation. >> oh, yeah. you've got to watch this. watch as an apparently inexperienced snowboarder tries to be dragged up a mountain in switzerland.

he's one of a group of englishmen, all of whom stand by and -- >> wait for it. wait for it. >> there he goes. he's on his way. he's on his way and -- uh-oh. >> oh, no. >> we're cheering for him now. oh, there it is. >> not going to happen. >> anybody that's gone skiing knows that's a lot harder than it looks. >> it is. my husband will make fun of me when i snowboard. i've gone like five times and i'm still going 2 miles per hour. apparently i don't like to drive in the snow and i don't like to snowboard. but i try. >> i have a confession to make. when i started snowboarding, that was me and i couldn't do it. thankfully, there were no flip cams or iphones ready to take a video. >> were you also cutting the snow, trying to go as slow as possible? >> i can embellish a little and say i did get the hang of it after falling down several times. but i was never youtubed like this guy was. >> that's good. that's good. >> and i hope i never am

youtubed, though it's only a matter of time. >> there's a phone everywhere. just be careful. okay, still ahead here, we have much more to get to this morning, including the billionaire who is engaged to a member of the michael jackson family. and the amazing door-busting deals post christmas shoppers are finding. time to put those gift cards to work. you're watching abc "world news now." ♪ i may have just what you're looking for ♪ ♪ if you don't mind the fast, the merchandise is used but with a little mending it could be as good as new ♪ [ woman ] dear cat, your hair mixes with pollen and dust.

i get congested. but now, with zyrtec-d®, i have the proven allergy relief of zyrtec®, plus a powerful decongestant. zyrtec-d® lets me breath freer, so i can love the air. [ male announcer ] zyrtec-d®. behind the pharmacy counter. no prescription needed. it's time to free ourselves from the smell and harshness of bleach. and free ourselves from worrying about the ones we love. new lysol power & free has more cleaning power than bleach. how? the secret is the hydrogen peroxide formula. it attacks tough stains and kills 99.9% of germs.

new lysol power & free. powerful cleaning that's family friendly. another step forward in our mission for health. [ tylenol bottle ] me too! and nasal congestion. [ tissue box ] he said nasal congestion. yeah...i heard him. [ female announcer ] tylenol® cold multi-symptom nighttime relieves nasal congestion. nyquil® cold and flu doesn't.

welcome back. an extraordinary scene played out yesterday in southern california. long lines of cars stretching around corners and down four blocks. all of these are people ready to turn in their guns. >> that's right. they're not lining up for gasoline. this was guns for groceries. in exchange, people sending in assault rifles, any kind of gun you can imagine, all so they would have food to eat. kabc's leigh ann sutter was there. >> one shot gun, one rifle. >> reporter: an suv full of firearms. one of many, as hundreds of residents turn in unwanted weapons for free gift cards. >> i dropped off four .22 rifles, long guns, and a spanish mauzer. >> reporter: the city moved up its annual gun buyback program after the school massacre in newtown. many waiting in the long lines say the tragedy is what spurred them to act. >> because of the recent news, and all that, we decided to

bring in some old guns and drop them off. >> reporter: the line stretched around the block at both locations in van nuys and exposition park. as residents voluntarily surrendered weapons of all shapes and sizes, like this ar-15, similar to the one used in newtown. >> they are exactly the kind of guns that fall into the hands of untrained people who are not their owners and are used for deadly purpose. they are exactly the kind of guns that we want off the street. >> reporter: since the program began in 2009, the lapd collected 8,000 weapons. citizens voluntarily surrender their firearms, no questions asked, no i.d.s needed. in exchange, they get a ralph's gift card. $200 for assault weapons. $100 for other firearms. >> i don't need it anymore. i'm too old already. i'm 85 years old. i don't need that. >> reporter: while critics call the program a failure, saying it

gives people money for old weapons that don't work, officials say they know collecting bins full of assault weapons, like this tech 9, and a fully functioning automatic world war ii sten gun, save lives. >> wow. the last time they did this, they got about 1700 weapons off the street. >> that's great that they're getting so many weapons, but it's also a worry that there are that many weapons out there that people have no use for. >> those are the ones they're just turning in for the money, or because they want to. who knows the real reason? >> absolutely. coming up, a potential bombshell report about whitney houston's death. and a big business deal involving dr. mcdreamy brewing up something mcsteamy. we'll explain next in "the skinny." >> i love that line. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this.

♪ skinny, so skinny thank you so much. willis, that's right. it's time for "the skinny." and i think the first story made a lot of mouths drop. >> absolutely. this has to do with one of america's most beloved performers, one of america's most beloved musicians. whitney houston, the memory of her passing still very fresh. you know, it hasn't been very long. but there are accusations now from a hollywood private investigator who claims that whitney houston was murdered by drug dealers. he claims he has surveillance video that proves it. his name is paul wable, and he's

turned over evidence to the fbi, showing that the 48-year-old singer was killed over a drug debt in february. of course, these are just allegations and accusations. he says he has proof. but again, we haven't seen that proof. of course, if this is true, this would be major, major news. >> in the interview, he also said, well, i don't have -- i can't say that definitely she was killed. but i have proof, and there's video of drugs being delivered. it just seems -- if you're going to say that, you better have the stuff to back it up, i think. >> it's going to take some time to get to the bottom of this one. this one may make your mouth drop, as well. i couldn't believe it. >> me and willis might need to start in on this. jerry! jerry! [ chanting ] >> i like that, because it could be on "jerry springer." britney spears and kevin federline. kevin federline's brother says he fathered their first child, not kevin. christopher federline says he's the father of britney spears' first child, who is 7 years old, sean preston. there's britney and kevin. we don't have an image of christopher. and he also claims that according to the "national enquirer," that britney spears

stole his credit cards back in the day and ran up a lot of bills. amid all the family drama. but he says, i do confess, i slept with britney. i am the true father of the child, but the public does not need to know. >> right. >> then why are you talking about it? >> they need to televise that paternity test. >> that's not jerry, that's maury. you are the father. you are not the father. [ laughter ] thank you, willis, for chiming in. by the way, my family loves you, willis. just have to give you a shoutout there. >> see kevin federline run from backstage. they just start going at it. it would be hilarious. >> it's bad, it's bad. what else is coming up? we have some positive news, too. >> sticking with hollywood, there are rumors now that janet jackson is engaged to a billionaire boyfriend. he is a qatari billionaire. he owns a retail chain of stores. these rumors, they surfaced here and there. rumor has it that they were going to spend $3 million to fly in about 500 guests for this very posh, very elaborate wedding.

$3 million. that's -- that's a pretty big wedding. >> if it is true, and they're very happy, congratulations. there's nothing wrong with that. so good luck. i hope it works out. patrick dempsey, ladies, you have to -- i believe he's mcdreamy. i don't watch "grey's anatomy." but he's a very attractive young man, correct? he is rescuing a coffee house chain. he has a big heart, as well. trying to save jobs of more than 500. it's called tully's coffee. it filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. it's in seattle, and that is where the show is shot. if he goes in there and serves coffee every day, trust me, business will be booming once again. so good luck. i hope he's able to do it. >> and just before we wrap up you "the skinny," a couple of star-crossed starlets in hollywood. miley cyrus and liam hemsworth. there are rumors now that liam hemsworth was spotted wearing a ring, suggesting that the couple may now be engaged. >> oh, did they put a ring on it? >> we want to see this ring, of course.

>> you have to look close. you can see it. all right. >> and that is "the skinny." coming up, did you think the shopping season was already over? >> there were bargains. we'll show you. re were bargains. we'll show you. ow you. now with a fancy coating that gives you a burst of wildberry flavor. now why make a flavored heartburn pill? because this is america. and we don't just make things you want, we make things you didn't even know you wanted. like a spoon fork. spray cheese. and jeans made out of sweatpants. so grab yourself some new prilosec otc wildberry. [ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn. satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. if by blessed you mean freaked out about money well we suddenly noticed that everything was getting more expensive so we switched to the bargain detergent but i found myself using three times more than you're supposed to and the clothes still weren't as clean as with tide. so we're back to tide. they're cuter in clean clothes. thanks honey yeah

you suck at folding [ laughs ] [ female announcer ] one cap of tide gives you more cleaning power than 6 caps of the bargain brand. [ woman ] that's my tide, what's yours?

it's time to free ourselves from the smell and harshness of bleach. and free ourselves from worrying about the ones we love. new lysol power & free has more cleaning power than bleach. how? the secret is the hydrogen peroxide formula. it attacks tough stains and kills 99.9% of germs. new lysol power & free. powerful cleaning that's family friendly. another step forward in our mission for health. ♪ doing it with a cold, just not going to happen. vicks dayquil -- powerful non-drowsy 6-symptom cold & flu relief. ♪ no matter what city you're playing tomorrow. [ coughs ]

[ male announcer ] you can't let a cold keep you up tonight. ♪ vicks nyquil -- powerful nighttime 6-symptom cold & flu relief. ♪ ♪ my life is likened to a bargain store ♪ an eclectic group of music today. getting you in the spirit. >> did that just say my life is like a bargain store? >> yes, because this is what this next story is all about. hopefully you're not cheap. you know what i mean? >> oh, no, i'm cheap. finally this half hour, don't think the stores are done trying to separate you from your hard-earned money. christmas may have come and gone, but shopping season isn't over.

>> retailers are slashing prices all in an effort to get you to buy what they have. abc's neal karlinsky checked out the deals. >> reporter: the holidays may be over, but retailers aren't giving up so easy. we watched fresh sale signs going up, as stores took the more important season into overtime. $400 coats down to? >> 60% off. >> reporter: 60% off? >> so $148. >> $148. >> reporter: you paid $148 for a $400 coat? >> yeah. >> reporter: retailers are desperate for holiday shopping to keep on going after a bleak few weeks. holiday sales rose 0.7% from last year, the slowest growth since 2008. >> key areas were the northeast and mid-atlantic. the impact zone of hurricane sandy is where we saw the weakest growth for the year. >> reporter: the season of giving looked a lot more like the season of giving back. >> i got a jacket from my girlfriend that was slightly too big. so i returned it and got back $71 back and the size i wanted. >> reporter: 10% of all gifts are headed straight back to the store.

electronics can be some of the toughest. often with only a 15-day return window. many other items can go back 30 or even 90 days later. though analysts warn that many now require an i.d. between now and new year's, some amazing deals out there. we found a 50-inch tv on sale for just $399. computers at costco up to $500 off and discounts up to 50% to 70% off at many, many stores. neal karlinsky, abc news, seattle. >> so brandi, you told us yesterday you were going shopping today to get some stuff on your way back to l.a. did you get anything? >> you know what? oh, look at that. too bad that's a little wrong. i didn't find anything. this is why. the stores were a lot less crowded. same sales as on christmas weekend. same sales. it was a waste of time. it was nothing discounted even more. so lesson learned. you don't have to do it next year. ♪ would be as good as new

>> announcer: this is abc's "world news now." informing insomniacs for two decades. high speed internet at home on our newly expanded advanced digital network, a connection you can count on. introducing at&t u-verse high speed internet with more speed options, reliability and wi-fi hot spots than ever. go to our website below to get u-verse high speed internet for just 14.95 a month for 12 months with a one-year price guarantee. it's all the speed you need all at a great price. our newly expanded advanced digital network gives you more of what you enjoy online. and with at&t, our wireless gateway turns your home into a private wi-fi hot spot that connects your wi-fi devices and can even save on your smart phone data usage at home. go to our website below to get at&t u-verse high speed internet for just 14.95 a month for 12 months with a one-year price guarantee. that includes access on-the-go to our entire national wi-fi hot spot network, with over 30,000 hot spots. at&t u-verse high speed internet. now on our newly expanded advanced digital network,

a connection your whole house can count on. ♪

maki ng news in america this morning -- >> a powerful and deadly storm slams a huge chunk of the nation. and it's not over yet. snow, rain and wind are causing major destruction. we will let you know what you can expect today. also this morning, a turn for the worse. former president george h.w. bush is now in intensive care. what doctors are saying about his prognosis. plus, a twist of luck after a horrible crash. how a jogger jumped into action to help save a man's life. and who says you have to be a kid to get giddy over your gifts? this viral video shows a man's genuine joy. and now, his family is sharing his story.